Drawer slide



June 2, 1959 N. A. GUssAcK 2,889,179

DRAWER SLIDE l Filed April 1o, 195e i IN V EN TOR.

Nafhan A. Gussack BY ATTORNEY naw nited States Patent DRAWER SLIDENathan A. Gussack, Manhasset, N.Y. Application April 10, 1956, SerialNo. 577,408

7 Claims. (Cl. 30S- 3.8)

This invention relates to drawer slides and, more particularly, to animproved, fully self-contained drawer slide stably supporting the drawerin all extended positions while providing for simple release of thedrawer from its support.

Roller type drawer slides are used with cabinet drawers to provide easyoperation and to permit full extension of the drawer. The usualarrangement of the slide includes a pair of telescoped, generallychannel-shape sections with balls interposed therebetween. As the ballspacer used with the ball bearings restricts the degree of relativelongitudinal motion of the two telescoped sections, drawer supportingrollers have been provided on the top edges of the outer sections toprovide for full extension of the drawer.

This known type of drawer slide has the disadvantage that it is notself-contained. Furthermore, with this type of slide, there is apossibility for the drawer to tilt when its center of gravity is movedoutwardly.

In accordance with the present invention, a novel drawler slide isprovided which is self-contained, permits full extension of the drawer,and completely inhibits tilting of the drawer when its center of gravityis moved outwardly. In addition, a novel, easily operated latcharrangement is provided for selectively disconnecting the drawer fromits slide.

More specifically, the invention slide in addition to the inner andouter telescoped, generally channel-shape members, includes a mountingplate or angle carrying rollers riding in the inner channel and freelymovable therealong. However, the mounting plate or angle remainsnormally assembled with the inner channel by virtue of a spring biasedlatch carried by the plate or angle and operable, upon pulling out ofthe drawer, to interengage with latch keeper means on the inner channelor track. This latch positively limits outward movement of the drawer,but is so designed that, upon inward movement of the drawer, the latchreadily disengages the keeper means and rides inwardly along the innertrack. By operating the latch against its spring bias, the latch may bedisengaged from its keeper means to permit the drawer to be detachedfrom the slide.

For an understanding of the invention principles, reference is made tothe following description of typical embodiments thereof as illustratedin the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a multi-drawer cabinet provided with theinvention drawer slide;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the slide;

Fig. 3 is an inside elevation view of the slide;

Figs. 4 through 8 are sectional perspective views taken on thecorrespondingly numbered lines of Fig. 2;

Fig. 9 is a View corresponding to Fig. 8 but illustrating a drawermounting plate instead of a mounting angle; and

Fig. l is a partial inside elevation View of a modified form of theslide.

Referring to Fig. 1, a drawer slide 10 embodying thev As best seen inFigs. 2 through 8, the drawer slide 10` comprises an inwardly facingouter channel 20 secured to the inner surface of cabinet 11, an inwardlyfacing channel center track 30 telescoped in channel 20, and a support`angle 40 secured to drawer 15 and carrying rollers engaged in center-track 30. A spring biased latch 50 carried by support angle 40 isarranged to releasably engage keeper means of track 30 to limit outwardmovement of angle 40 relative to track 30.

Channel 20 has a base 21 and outwardly convex legs or ilanges 22. Base21 is formed with apertures 23 equi-spaced longitudinally thereof toreceive fasteners (not shown) securing channel 20 to a vertical innersurface of cabinet 11 with base 21 engaging such surface. At the innerend of channel 20, flanges 22 have aligned holes 24 receiving a pin 26serving as an inner abutment. At the outer end of channel 20, ears 27are bent inwardly from each flange 22 to form outer abutments.

Center track 30 is generally a channel having a base 31 and outwardlyconcave anges 32. Flanges 22 and 32 form facing runways for balls 25disposed between the telescoped channels 20 and 30 and separated by ballretainers 35. An aperture 33 in base 31, somewhat larger than apertures23 of channel 20, provides access to insert fasteners in apertures 23and to secure the fasteners to cabinet 11. This provision allows themembers 20 and 30 to remain assembled at all times, whether mounted in acabinet or not.

At the inner end of track 30, flanges 32 have aligned apertures throughwhich projects a pin 36 carrying a cushioning bumper 37 engageable withpin 26 at the inner limit of movement of track 30. Outward ymovement oftrack 30 is limited by engagement of the projecting ends of pin 36 withthe inner ends of ball retainers 35, the outer ends of retainers 35engaging ears 27 on channel 20. For a purpose to be described, base 31of track 30 has a substantially rectangular aperture 38 near its outerend.

Support angle 40 has a wide vertical leg 41, arranged to engage a sideof drawer 15, and a short horizontal leg 42 arranged to underlie thelower edge of each side of the drawer. The inner side of Vertical leg 41is formed with identical outwardly projecting apertured bosses 43receiving headed pins 44 carrying concave surfaced rollers 45 engagingflanges 32 of track 30. At intervals along its length, flange 41 hasapertures 46 to receive fasteners securing angle 40 to drawer 15.

Near the outer end of angle 48, a horizontal tongue 47 is struckoutwardly therefrom. Tongue 47 is apertured to receive a rivet or pin 48serving as a pivot for latch 50. Latch 50 is pivoted to tongue 47 nearthe outer end of the latch, and a leaf spring 51 staked to the latch andengaged with flange 41, biases the long inner end of latch 50 outwardly.This inner end of the latch is shaped as a nose 55 having an abruptshoulder 56 as its outer edge and a tapered inner end 57.

When support angle 40 is inserted into center track 30, rollers 45engage track flanges 32. The short outer end 56 of latch 50 engagesflange 41 to limit outward extension of nose 55 by spring 51. As nose 55reaches the outer end of track 30, its tapered end slides along base. 31biasing latch 50 inwardly. When nose 55 reaches aperture 38 in base 31,the nose snaps into the aperture. However, if angle 40 is pushed furtherinto track 30, the tapered inner end 57 of nose 55 moves the noseinward` ly to ride along base 31.

Upon outward movement of angle 40, nose 55 will snap Patented June 2,1959 Y channel 20. All' three elements, 20, 310,1 40 'of slide 10" areinterengaged as a unit at all' times except when-latch 50lis purposelyreleased to withdraw angle 40.

Fig. 9' shows an alternative drawer supportarrangement in which angle 40is replaced by a ilat plate or strip 40 'which' may be attached lto thesideof drawer 15. Except that plate 40 has no iiange underlyingthe draw#er, its construction is identical Vto that of'angle 41)"and latch 50'ismounted, in the same way, on tongue 47".'

Fig. l() 'shows an alternative arrangement of the inner abutment means.not carry pin 36 and bumper 37. Instead, ears 39are bent'out of'theinner ends of ilanges 32 to engage a bumper ZScarried by pin 26 onchannel y20.'

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown :anddescribed in detail 'to illustrate the application ofthe inventionprinciples, it will be understood that'the invention may be embodiedvotherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed:

1. A drawer slide comprising, in combination, an outer channel adaptedto be secured to a cabinet wall or the like; a channel track telescopedin said outer channel' and having outwardly concave anges, said trackopening inwardly of the slide; anti-friction bearing means between saidouter channel and track; interengageable abutment means operative tolimit relative longitudinal movement of said outer channel and saidtrack; a relatively elongated drawer support element adapted to `besecured to a drawer; roller means mounted on and spaced longitudinallyof said element and engaged with# in said track, said roller meanshaving concave peripheral surfaces fitting the inner convex surfaces ofthe flanges of the track and said element substantially closing the Inthis arrangement, track 30 does` open side of said track; and releasablelatch means interconnecting said track and element, upon outwardmovement of said element relative to said track, to limit such outwardmovement to a degree wherein said roller means remain engaged withinsaid track.

2. A drawer slide as claimed in claim 1 in which said element comprisesan angle.

3. A drawer slide as claimed inclairn 1 in which said element comprisesa vertically disposed plate.

4. A drawer slide as claimed in claim 1 in which said latch meanscomprises a spring biased-latch -member pivoted on saidelementengageable with stop means on said track upon outward movement ofsaid element.

5. A drawer slide as claimed in lclaim 1 in which said latch meanscomprises a spring biased latch member pivoted on said element andincluding a shoulder engageable in an aperture in said track uponoutward movement of saidV element.

6. A drawer-slide as claimed inclaim 1 in which said latch meanscomprises a relatively elongated latch member pivoted on said elementintermediate its ends for movement about a vertical axis toward and awayfrom said track and including catchvmeans on one end engageable in anaperture in said track upon outward movementof said element; and springmeans'biasing said one end of said member toward said track; said oneend of said member being movable away from said track to disengage saidelement from said track.

7. A drawer slide as claimed in claim 6 in which said References Citedin the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,537,067 Card May 12,1925 2,430,141 Reeves Nov. 4, 1947 2,582,471 West Ian. 15, 19522,671,699 Vignos Mar. 9, 1954 2,692,802 Kurtzon etal. Oct. 26, 1954

